


and we'll always be together

by wafflesofdoom



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 09:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6324064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>with jelena and terrence pushing to trade zero, his whole world comes crashing down around him - until jude steps in. </p>
<p>[based off the 3x10 preview]</p>
            </blockquote>





	and we'll always be together

They were trading him. 

After everything he’d done for the team, they were trading him. Zero had left his _all_ on that court every single time he’d donned a red Devil’s jersey, scoring points and bring the crowd to their feet. He was a hell of a fucking basketball player, and he deserved to be playing with the Devils.

Fucking politics, t hats what got him in the end. For the first time in his adult life, Zero was on the losing side because he'd let his heart guide his decisions, not his head. He'd gotten too comfortable in LA, let his guard down, started to believe that the Devils could be his happy ending, that he could wear his red jersey until he retired, that no one would try and take the life he'd built for him, for Jude, away from him. 

His naivety was laughable.

Getting into bed with Jude Kincade, he might as well have signed his own transfer to a team as far from the Devils as he could get - love had put him on the wrong side, and now he was getting traded.

Zero couldn’t hold in his frustration any more, and he reached out, punching the picture of Jelena Howard’s smiling face as hard as he could, the glass shattering around him. 

He saw Jude cower out of the corner of his eye, but Zero was so frustrated, so angry, he couldn’t bring himself to apologise for scaring his boyfriend. He stood, surrounded by broken glass, his heart beating out of his chest.

“Zero..” Jude reached out, his voice soft.

“They’re trading me.” Zero said, his voice bitter. “They’re trading me, Jude.”

Jude’s face fell. “Because of me?” He said, understanding straight away.

Zero didn’t bother trying to lie, trying to protect Jude from the grim reality of it all. 

“I’m sorry.” Jude said, as sincerely as he could. “I’m so sorry, Zero. I didn’t - I never wanted any of this, I didn’t want us to get in the way of your career.”

“But it _did_.” The words were out of Zero’s mouth before he could stop himself. 

“I’m going to fix this.” Jude reassured, his tone desperate.

“How?” 

Jude looked around wildly.

“We lost, Jude.” Zero said, defeated. “Jelena and Terrence are in, Oscar’s back in his seat - Lionel lost the one piece of evidence we have against him. Its over, its done. We lost. I’m getting traded, probably to some amateur hour team who’ve never even _seen_ a championship game, let alone played one.”

Inspiration seemed to hit Jude. “What if I was your agent again?” 

“Jude…”

“I’m serious, Zero. If we can’t stop them trading you, why don’t we take charge of your trade? There are teams that would _kill_ to have you play for them.” Jude said. “Let me be your agent again.”

“What about EVP?”

“Do you really think I have a job with the Devils now Oscar is back? He’d **never** accept his openly gay son being EVP. I’m just as done here as you are.” Jude said. “I’m not going to let him manipulate me, I’m not going to give him the chance to.”

He stepped closer to Zero, the shattered glass crunching underneath Jude’s smart shoes. “You’ve given me everything, Zero. Love, a real relationship - and its because of me you’re going to get traded. Let me fix this, let me be your agent again.”

“Who’s going to want me?” Zero said, his insecurities showing. He might have been a damn good basketball player, but being openly bisexual wasn’t going to work in his favour when it came to some teams, some management. 

“You play basketball like it’s second-nature.” Jude said softly. “The Knicks are looking to rebuild their team - it could be yours for the taking.”

“New York?” Zero raised an eyebrow. “Thats a long way from Los Angeles.”

“I’m starting to think that the further we are away from this goddamn arena, the better off we’ll be.” Jude admitted. 

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” Zero nodded. “Start trade negotiations, put your feelers out. I don’t care - just, don’t let me lose this, Jude. Basketball is my world, I can’t get traded to a team where I wont even get a game. I have to be able to play. I _have_ to.”

“I was Team Zero in Ohio, and I was Team Zero in LA - I’m always on your side, I always want whats best for you.” Jude said, reaching out to close the last remaining space between them, Zero softening at his touch, the explosive anger that had caused the mess of glass around their feet gone. “I love you.” He finished, his eyes wide and his tone sincere.

“I love you.” Zero replied, and somehow, even in the middle of the chaos that the Devils arena had become, the politics tearing the team apart, and his impending trade, Zero felt like things might just be okay in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> just a little drabble i couldn't get out of my head after watching the preview for the finale. hope you enjoyed!


End file.
